West Coyote Hills opponents hit number for petition

FULLERTON – Opponents trying to repeal the City Council's approval of the 760-home West Coyote Hills development submitted enough signatures to the City Clerk on Friday to start the process of putting the issue before voters.

Friends of Coyote Hills turned in signatures gathered on two petitions by the deadline Friday, City Clerk Lucinda Williams said.

"They both had sufficient signatures for me to accept the petitions," she said after a couple of hours of counting.

The petitions now go to the Orange County Registrar of Voters to verify the signatures and make sure enough remain to qualify.

If validated, the measure would again go before the council, which could reverse its earlier vote or have the measures put before voters in November 2012.

"We're pledged to do everything legally possible to save this land," said Diane Bonanno with Friends of Coyote Hills, which wants the Chevron land preserved as open space.

The City Council voted 4 to 1 on July 12 in favor of Chevron-owned Pacific Coast Homes' proposal to build townhomes, single-family houses and retail space on part of the 510 acres it owns in northwest Fullerton.

The group needs to collect petitions pertaining to all four actions the council took to approve the proposal. The signatures returned Friday cover the specific-plan amendment and the general-plan amendment, Bonanno said. Two more petitions covering the development agreement and the zoning change must be returned by next Friday.

A Chevron official said Coyote Hills is a solid project that will benefit the city.

"We believe the city approved project offers many benefits to Fullerton residents and when they are provided all the facts, will support the plan," Coyote Hills project manager Jim Pugliese said through a statement. "The project preserves well over half of the property for natural open space, trails and parks, while utilizing the rest of the site to boost city revenues, generate 1,800 local jobs, and provide significant funding for local schools.

Friends group members said previously they were using volunteers and 15 paid workers to collect signatures.

"There's still time to sign the petitions," said Shirley Gregg, with the Friends group. "Volunteers are stationed throughout Fullerton."

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